Welcome to Close Call Sports. CCS objectively tracks and analyzes close and controversial calls in sport, with great regard for the rules and spirit of the game. Developed from The Left Field Corner: MLB Umpire Ejection Fantasy League (UEFL), whose purpose is to objectively track and analyze umpire ejections, video instant replay reviews and their corresponding calls, with great regard for the rules and spirit of the game.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Less than a week removed from umpiring's biggest story of the 2012 offseason, the name owner of the Jim Evans Academy for Professional Umpiring has unequivocally and without qualification apologized for the racially inappropriate incident which occurred during a staff bowling party during the 2012 professional course, stating, "I apologize I regret it sincerely (sic)."

In an exclusive interview with WKMG-Orlando, Evans admitted he was too slow to react to the inappropriate costume perpetrated by JEAPU Director Jason Klein, as by the time Evans noticed that Klein and his three teammates were wearing white conical covers and robes emblazoned with "Klein's Kleaning Krew"—with the capital "KKK" emphasized—it was too late and the team had changed into standard bowling attire.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

After meeting in Indianapolis three weeks ago, the Football Rules Committee for the National Federation of State High School Associations approved multiple rules changes. These eight changes were approved by the NFHS Board of Directors and announced Thursday. There were both major rule changes, as well as minor changes and clarifications. The rules changes are as follows:

Major Changes:Losing a Helmet
The first change is to NFHS Rule 3-5-10, which governs when a time-out occurs regarding (a) an injured player, (b) a player that displays signs and symptoms of a concussion, (c) and player that is bleeding or has blood on his person or jersey. The rule change is an addition to the rule that now requires a player who loses their helmet during a live-ball to sit out one play. According to NFHS, the helmet must come completely off during the live-ball play for the rule to apply. Players are exempted from having to sit out a play if the helmet coming loose can be directly attributed to a foul, such as a facemask. NFHS cites data showing a great frequency of players losing their helmetsduring the course of a live-ball play. According to Kentucky High School Athletic Association commissioner and chair of the Football Rules Committee, Julian Tackett, the aim is for players to stop wearing their helmets loose. The intent is to have players wearing properly fitted helmets that are worn tight around the head. NFHS' press release did not state whether a time-out may prevent a player having to sit out a play. Under Rule 3-5-10a, an injured player is required to sit a play out, if an official discovers the injury and delays the ready for play whistle, regardless if a team takes a charged time-out after the fact.